Well, that’s how El Mundo Deportivo bills it. In fact I’d say neither has a fantastic chance of winning the award this year. If anything, Ronaldo has a decent opportunity having finished top goal scorer in the Champions League with 12 goals.
Nevertheless FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo are part of the ten man shortlist of players to win the 2012/13 UEFA “Best Player in Europe” award. Barça players have captured this honor the previous two seasons, Messi last year and Andrés Iniesta before that, but this year it’s a fair probability it will go to one of the five Bayern Munich players nominated. More details after the jump.
The full list of 10 reads:
1. Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
3. Gareth Bale (Tottenham)
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germaine)
5. Robert Lewandoski (Borussia Dortmund)
6. Robin van Persie (Manchester United)
7. Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich)
8. Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich)
9. Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)
10. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)
Sixteen other players did not make the final cut, including FC Barcelona men Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta. Those that missed out also include Edison Cavani (Napoli), Javi Martínez (Bayern Munich), Philip Lahm (Bayern Munich), Dante (Bayern Munich), Manuel Neur (Bayern Munich), Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich), Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund), Ilkay Gündogan (Borussia Dortmund), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), and Arturo Vidal (Juventus).
The winner will be announced at the Champions League draw ceremony held in Monaco on August 29th.
Source: El Mundo Deportivo,
